Shopping General in San Diego? San Diego Tire Shop stocks and orders across the General range for drivers in San Diego, CA. The badge on the sidewall matters less than which line inside it suits how you actually drive, and what that line costs once it is on the car — so tell us the vehicle and the miles you put on it, and we will tell you which General is worth your money and which one is not.
The General range, by what each line is for
These are General’s main current lines. Not every line comes in every size, so tell us the size off your sidewall and we will tell you which of these fit your car and what each one costs installed.
- AltiMAX RT45 — touring all-season for sedans and minivans
- AltiMAX 365AW — all-weather with a severe-snow (3PMSF) rating
- G-MAX AS-07 — ultra-high-performance all-season
- Grabber HTS60 — highway all-season for pickups and SUVs
- Grabber A/TX — all-terrain for pickups and SUVs
- Grabber X3 — mud-terrain for off-road use
- AltiMAX Arctic 12 — dedicated winter tire
What General costs installed in San Diego
A General price that is only the tire is not a price. Our quote is the out-the-door total: the tires, mounting, balancing, new valve stems or TPMS service kits, disposal of the old set, and tax. And before anything is mounted we read you the DOT code off the sidewall — the last four digits are the week and year that tire was built, because new is not a date.
General tires are built by Continental at a price below the Continental badge — same engineering, a lower tier. The lineup spans a touring all-season for sedans and minivans, an all-weather rated for severe snow (3PMSF), a dedicated winter tire, a high-performance all-season, and highway, all-terrain, and mud-terrain options for trucks.
General is Continental's second name, not a rebadge of someone else's tire — the engineering comes from the same company, the price point is lower. That's why the lineup underneath looks like a condensed version of Continental's own range: something for a commuter sedan, something for a truck that tows, something for genuine mud.
Inland heat is the one local condition worth weighing against a value-tier compound: sustained high temperatures firm up rubber and accelerate wear faster on a lower-tier tire than on a premium one, which is a reason to read the warranty terms rather than assume they match whatever's written on a more expensive brand. A driver chasing the quietest, longest-lasting ride available and willing to pay for it is better served by a premium-tier tire than by anything in this lineup — General's argument is value, not being the best tire on the shelf.
Which General line actually fits how you drive?
Seven different tires carry the General name; matching the right one to a vehicle and how it's driven matters more than the brand on the box, so ask which specific line a quote is built from before assuming 'General' means just one tire.
- A commuter sedan or minivan doing mostly highway miles: the AltiMAX RT45 is the touring all-season, built for mileage and a quiet ride rather than outright grip.
- A car that needs to handle an occasional snow flurry without switching to dedicated winters: the AltiMAX 365AW carries the severe-snow (3PMSF) rating a standard all-season doesn't.
- A sportier sedan or coupe where cornering response matters: the G-MAX AS-07 is the ultra-high-performance all-season in the range.
- A pickup or SUV that stays on pavement: the Grabber HTS60 is the highway all-season built for that use.
- A truck splitting time between pavement and dirt: the Grabber A/TX is the all-terrain option.
- A truck built for off-road use first: the Grabber X3 is the mud-terrain tire, and it trades highway manners for it.
- A vehicle that needs a dedicated winter tire rather than an all-weather compromise: the AltiMAX Arctic 12 is built for exactly that.
What should you check before any of these gets ordered?
The size, load index and speed rating stamped on the door placard are what matter, not whatever is printed on the tire currently mounted. A previous owner, a prior repair, or a replacement done years back may have put on something other than what the vehicle was built around — read the placard inside the driver's door jamb, not the sidewall of the old tire.
Once a tire is in hand, check the sidewall for the DOT code and read the last four digits: a two-digit week, then a two-digit year. Two tires that are both new to the car aren't necessarily the same age — ask before anything gets mounted.
How does the tread warranty actually work?
Treadwear warranties are pro-rated against the tread left when a claim is filed — the credit shrinks as the tire wears, it isn't a full refund at any point. None of them cover wear caused by bad alignment, low air pressure, or a curb strike — those are maintenance and road-hazard problems, not manufacturing defects.
Terms differ by line — a touring tire like the AltiMAX RT45 and a mud-terrain tire like the Grabber X3 aren't usually warrantied on the same schedule. Ask which terms apply to the specific line being quoted before assuming one number covers the whole lineup.
Is General the same as Continental?
General is owned by Continental and built to the same engineering standards, but it sits at a lower price point than the Continental badge. Expect less of the premium-tier refinement, not a different level of construction quality.
Will a General all-season handle an occasional snow day?
A standard all-season General, like the AltiMAX RT45, isn't rated for it. The AltiMAX 365AW carries the severe-snow (3PMSF) rating built for exactly that, and the AltiMAX Arctic 12 goes further as a dedicated winter tire.
What's the DOT date, and why does it matter on a brand-new tire?
It's a four-digit code on the sidewall — the first two digits are the week built, the last two are the year. Ask to see it before a tire is mounted, since a tire can sit in inventory for a while and age still counts even without miles on it.